Flag support for motor vehicles



Aug. 12, 1941 M. E. DEAN FLAG SUPPORT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 14, 1940 i a tenteci Aug. 1 2, 1941 UNITED STTS QFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in supporting devices and more particularly to devices designed to be applied to motor vehicles for the support or display of flags thereon.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel flag display bracket or flag supporting means which is designed to be applied to that portion of the front of a motor vehicle which forms a grill in front of the usual vehicle radiator, to facilitate supporting in position in advance of the grill, a number of flags or other staff supported emblems.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flag. supporting unit which is adapted to be applied to or secured to the grill-work in front of a motor vehicle radiator and which is so designed that it may be easily and quickly applied to the grill structure Without necessitating the making of any changes in the construction or arrangement of the grill and which can be applied without marring or in any way altering the finish upon the part of the vehicle to which it is attached.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel flag supporting or display unit which may be readily shaped from a piece of sheet metal and which, therefore, may be economically produced and marketed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the device embodying the present invention, showing the same applied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referringnowmoreparticularly to the drawing, the numeral I generally designates the forward or front portion of a motor vehicle hood structure or body, a part of the construction of which comprises a grill-work which covers the motor vehicle radiator, not shown, the bars or units of such grill-work being indicated by the numeral 2.

The present invention comprises a plate body 3 which is preferably formed from a single piece of metal and which has a relatively long top edge 4, the downwardly and slightly converging side edges 5 of which merge into a short tongue portion 6 which is located at the center of the lower part or lower edge of the plate, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. This tongue portion is pressed to form the forwardly projecting button I, the center of which is provided with an aperture 8 for the reception of a bolt 9. Above the tongue portion, the plate body proper is pressed to form a number of channels II) which extend to the top edge 4 and which are arranged in downwardly converging relation. Extending across each of these channels H] is a forwardly pressed tongue II which is longitudinally arcuate to curve away from the adjacent channel so as to provide a suitable space for the reception of the staff of a flag or similar body.

The grooved plate 3 is maintained in operative position in front of the vehicle grill by means of the supporting arms i2. Each of these arms consists of a relatively long strip of metal i3 which is provided with a longitudinally extending pressed reinforcing rib l4 and which terminates at its ends in the disks l5, each of which is pressed to form the button-like portion [6, which corresponds with the button I of the body 3. At the center of each of the disks I5 is a bolt aperture l1. One of the disks [5 of each body supporting arm I2 is placed over the button I of the body, so that the bolt 9 may be extended through the two disks and the button I and held in position by the wing nut l8, which is threaded upon the bolt. The arms are arranged, before tightening up the wing nut [8, to extend in downwardly convergent relation from the tongue 6. Each of the other disks of the arms has placed against the inner side thereof, which is the concave side of the button I6, a washer is of a suitable soft material which will prevent the disk of the arm coming into direct contact with the bars 2 of the grill. There is extended through each of these washers and the adjacent disk a J-bolt 20, which has the hooked end thereof arranged over the inner side of an adjacent grill bar 2. The other end of the bolt, which is threaded, extends through the disk and beyond the convex side thereof to receive the wing nut 2|. When this wing nut is threaded up on the bolt it will be seen that the lower end of the plate supporting arm through which the bolt passes, will be drawn inwardly together with the washer l9 and held tightly against the face of the adjacent grill bar. By adjusting these arms l2 at the proper angular relation and then tightening the nuts 2i and the nut l8, it will be seen that the plate bod 3 will be secured firmly in vertical position and that when the staffs of flags are inserted under the resilient tongues I 1, they will be held or caused to lie firmly in the channels Iii and will, therefore, maintain the proper display position,

From the foregoing, it Will be readily apparent that the device herein disclosed is of simple construction and, therefore, may be easily and economically manufactured. and that it is so designed that it can be mounted upon a vehicle radiator grill without marring the grill or without necessitating the making of any alterations in its construction.

What is claimed is:

1. A display supporting unit of the character described, comprising a plate body, means forming a part of the plate body facilitating the securing of an elongated unit thereto such as a flag staff, a pair of supporting arms secured to the plate at and extending from a common point thereon in divergent relation in planes parallel with a face of the plate, and means carried by each arm at the end thereof remote from the plate facilitating securing the arm to a supporting body against which the plate is placed.

2. A display unit of the character described, comprising a plate body having a bolt receiving aperture formed therethrough, said plate body being formed to provide a resilient tongue member arranged to facilitate the detachable engagement with the plate of an elongated member such as a flag staff to extend from the plate in a plane parallel therewith, a pair of relatively long arm members each having an apertured end alined with said bolt aperture, a securing bolt passing through said bolt aperture and the apertured ends of the arms, the arms being arranged to extend in divergent relation away from the plate, and means. carried by each of the arms at its other end for facilitating the attachment of the arm to a support.

3. A radiator grill supporting flag holder for automobiles, comprising a plate body having a portion of one edge formed to provide a tongue, the tongue having an aperture therethrough, said plate body being pressed to provide a channel adapted to receive an elongated element such as a fiag stafi, a resilient retaining tongue stamped from the plate and extending across said channel in spaced relation with the bottom of the channel, a pair of relatively long arm members having an aperture in each end, one apertured end of each arm being arranged in overlapping relation with said tongue, a securing bolt extending through the aperture of said tongue and through the apertures of the overlapping ends of the arms and securing the arms in divergent relation, and a bolt member extending through the aperture in the other end of each arm and formed for engagement with an element of the vehicle grill to secure the said other end of the arm to the grill element, the arms coacting to support the plate member in vertical position in front of the grill.

4. A radiator grill supporting flag holder for automobiles, comprising a plate body having a portion of one edge formed to provide a tongue, the tongue having an aperture therethrough, said plate body being pressed to provide a channel adapted to receive an elongated element such as a flag staff, a resilient retaining tongue stamped from the plate and extending across said channel in spaced relation with the bottom of the channel, a pair of relatively long arm members having an aperture in each end, one apertured end of each arm being arranged in overlapping relation with said tongue, a securing bolt extending through the aperture of said tongue and through the apertures of the overlapping ends of the arms and securing the arms in divergent relation, and a bolt member extending through the aperture in the other end of each arm and formed for engagement with an element of the vehicle grill to secure the said other end of the arm to the grill element, the arms coacting to support the plate member in vertical position in front of the grill, the said tongue member of the plate being pressed to form a protuberant button through the center of which the said bolt aperture is formed and the said overlapping ends of the arms being pressed to form button-like protuberances for nesting relation with one another and with the protuberance of the tongue, the securing bolt passing through the tongue and arm protuberances and holding the arms and the tongue in assembled relation.

MARVIN E. DEAN. 

